Tag: books
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May books 2023
Reading has always been my solace in hard times. One of my cats is terminally ill, which came as a horrible shock to all of us. While grieving the inevitable, I was glad I could seek refuge in books. Living the life of people real or imaginary through words on a page makes me feel…
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April books 2023
In April I mostly read non-fiction books. That wasn’t necessarily planned, and I must admit that I struggled sometimes to concentrate on, say, 16th century history after a long day at work and then writing my thesis. Nevertheless I didn’t want to give up on my daily reading time. I did enjoy all of those…
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March books 2023
The books I read in March were all over the place, as you can see below. I often read like that, because I’ll get bored when I read too much of the same genre or topic right after another. 8. Sämtliche Erzählungen (Collected Stories) – Franz Kafka To be honest, this collection of Kafka’s stories…
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February books 2023
The books I read in February were a positive surprise overall. I had mixed feelings going in, but in the end I was glad I gave them a chance. Click through the post carousel to see my other book reviews for 2023: 5. Schlafen werden wir später – Zsuzsa Bànks I read this book right…
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My January books 2023
I read four books in January. They were the kind of books that require slow and patient reading to unfold their full emotional impact. Not something to devour in an evening, something to savour and think about. 1. Der Zauberberg (The Magic Mountain) – Thomas Mann I’m going to admit it: I turned from a…
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Review: “Der Hände Fleiß. Siebenbürgische Textilien als Wohnschmuck” (Transylvanian Saxon textiles as home décor) by R. Schmidt/W. Förderreuther
I recently discovered this book about Transylvanian Saxon home and household textiles amidst my PhD book stack and finally took the time to take a look inside. And oh my, it’s gorgeous and inspiring! The history of it all King Géza II of Hungary started to settle German-speaking people in Transylvania in the 12th century…
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Congo: The Epic History of a People, by David van Reybrouck
While I actually have an MA in Global History, I have to admit that I mostly focused on Eastern European history (Central Europe, the Balkans, and Russia), and woefully neglected the entire rest of the world. There’s no shame in admitting ignorance, though, if you’re ready to widen your horizons! Phil’s dad gave us, amongst…
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How many books are too many?
If you had asked me that a couple of years ago, my answer would’ve been clear: there can never be too many books! Right now, however, I’m feeling slightly overwhelmed by the amount of books in my possession. When we moved into our apartment, Phil fulfilled one of my long-time wishes: a wall of bookcases.…